November 29, 2007

Stop working and start relaxing? That's enough out of you Marigold, it's not time yet. Humpty Dumpty knows what's up... one more week of hell and then I can relax for an entire month!

The teacher's college application has been handed in and I'm free from all of my essays and tests. Now it's exam time. On Saturday December 8th at 630 pm I will be one happy girl. Bring on the pink champagne!

Oh and for those who think I may have fallen off the deep end. The Marigold and Humpty Dumpty references are from Polka Dot Door. PolkaRoo! PolkaRoo! Still not clear? Oh well, it makes sense in my head.

2+ thumbs up. Made me want to travel to Italy to stuff my face, head to India to find my spiritual side and then to Bali to sop up some relaxation and sunshine. The way Elizabeth Gilbert broke her story into tiny tidbits made it perfect for consumption. This is one of the few books I've read that I thoroughly enjoyed but did not read for hours on end. I read a few short segments at a time and and then set it down, giving myself time to absorb the content. Gilbert is funny and straightforward. She talked about her spiritual journey but didn't make me roll my eyes or gag. Sometimes I think people explain their 'personal' spiritual position in a way that they suspect their church/priest/minister/mother would expect or want them to - this has never made much sense to me. I would highly suggest putting your name on the library waiting list for this puppy; it's worth the wait.

November 21, 2007

Well if I could sew and if I was super creative too I would make things like these beautiful bits by machinestops

I've always had a thing for gingham...

And jean dresses! So cute! i love the buttons and the stiching and the edging and... *sigh*

All of her designs are fabulous! The materials she uses are beautiful and the bubble design, besides looking hot, is super comfy! As you're mentally prepared for the possible pregnant comments you'll be feeling figgity fine in this number.

Once Christmas is over and I have some extra cash in my pocket I plan to purchase myself one of these fabulous dresses! I love the band top bubble dress (first pic) but I'm thinking it won't fit me as well as it fits the beautiful bod shown in the model shot. I'll likely go with the tank dress - I think it will be more flattering. Check out all of this Hawaian designers fabulous bits up for grabs on my fav site Etsy.

November 19, 2007

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!! That's how it should be spelt, not just Wii. Two teeny tiny 'i's do not do it justice. Let me explain.

Mike's birthday is quickly approaching (one week from today) and for the first time ever I broke down and gave him his birthday gift early. The only satisfaction I received from doing this was in the delivery. Miguel was in his lair working on music when I decided I couldn't wait any longer - he had to open the gift early because Walmart wasn't going to allow me to return it after the 20th if it had been opened (30 day return policy) - so down I went with gift in hand. I stopped just outside the door of his studio and stuck my head inside so he saw my bean but not the gift. With a very serious expression on my face, so serious in fact that he actually turned the music off before I opened my mouth, I explained: "I have to do this. It's going against all of my morals but it must be done, I'll explain why after..." I must have sounded pretty damn serious because mike looked worried, really worried, like 'oh my god what has she done' or 'what have i done' or 'what is about to be done' type of worried. HA! I rarely manage to frighten my husband and maybe I'm a cruel woman but there is some satisfaction in scaring my husband for just a brief moment in time.

Then I handed him his birthday present and he opened it up and was THRILLED! Wiiiiiii! My legs and arms hurt from bowling and let me tell you, I think I have found my calling, I need to find myself a bowling league. I'm not a big video game girl but the nintendoWii is a swiiiiiiiit device.

Total change of subjectI'm stoked that I finally took myself to the doctor two weeks ago, the test results came back and I now know what my problem is, it's not 'just stress' or 'just overdoing it', I have a vitamin B12 deficiency!! Yay! Something that can be easily fixed. I started taking 1000 mcg per day of B12 on Friday and I am starting to feel better already! Is it partially pschosomatic? Maybe but that's okay with me, as long as I'm not ko'd on the couch at 9pm I'll be a happy and productive girl.

My uplift in mood might also have something to do with the fact that I chopped off my hair and dyed it black friday afternoon. I've been feeling so blah lately that I figured a change in appearance might help a girl out (the brown just wasn't doing it for me) and it worked! My fab stylist did an amazing job, I heart my new do!

Finally, pilates, i forgot to post last week. I went and it was fantastic! I think I've found my 'thing' I really love going, my body feels good after a session and the instructor is just phenomenal. She asked me last week if I've done pilates before and told me she assumed I had - I haven't!! I can DO this and I look and feel like I actually should be doing it - unlike volleyball or soccer which I've played in recent years and let me tell you it's not pretty to watch.

Hmmm I wonder if I can count playing with the Wii as exercise? Why not?!

November 18, 2007

Who doesn't love being given something fabulous for free?! Check out these fab blogs to find some wonderful giveaways:

The Crunchy Domestic Goddess is giving away a very cool children's book titled I Love You More that tells a story of love from two points of view. I absolutely love children's books, I used to sit in Chapter's for hours reading kids' books back in my college days, pure pleasure.

The Domestic Goddess is also giving away a non-toxic cleaner. I would love to get my paws on this... the products I use now are non-toxic and work great but who knows, maybe the brand she is raving about is even better! With or without the giveaways this blog is definitely worth checking out, she shares some fabulous tips for living green and who isn't trying to be more environmentally conscious?

Melody from the hip momma's journal is giving away two adorable tutus. I'm on the hunt for the perfect tutu for a certain little lady's Christmas gift so if I win this it will end my hunt. Crossing all crossables!

I found a very cool blog that does nothing but give all sorts of wonderful things away!! Fun fun!! Want in on the action? Check out Bloggy Giveaways. Be sure to check the Winners link if you enter for any giveaways, it would be a shame to win and not collect!! Let me know if you have any luck!

And this draw has already taken place but I thought I would mention it anyways because I think it was a really sweet idea. Stacy from The Land of K.A. gave away a personalized outfit to one lucky little nut, details here. I wish I would have gotten my comment in on time for this one because I'm in love with her kiddlet style, this little number in particular caught my eye. I think I'm going to ask Santa for a sewing machine for Christmas.... I want to learn to make beautiful bits for myself and the little people in my life!

Good luck everyone! Oh, and please share if you find any fab giveaways!

November 12, 2007

Every now and then my man says something that makes me really think... not just think but actually shut up and think. Those who know me know that this is an impressive feat - there's a very funny sense the sarcasm? no? well you should family joke my brother started that involves looking for my 'batteries' and being unable to locate them - I talk a lot and sometimes struggle to keep quiet long enough to really hear what's being said to me. I stress sometimes because believe it or not for a chatterbox I am a good listener according to lots of people excluding my brother. Anyways tonight was one of those nights where not only did I stop long enough to hear my husband but hours later I actually remember exactly what he said -- this is unusual for me, I'm terrible when it comes to quoting people.

Fantastic words from my fantastic husband: "Expect the best and prepare for the worst." This is going to be my new motto.

I have been trying to change my thought patterns recently. I'm sure it has something to do with the book "Eat, Pray, Love" which I'm presently reading and a whole lot more to do with the fact that I'm turning 30 in just a few short months I'll save that for another post. Basically I'm trying to get rid of my negative thought patterns and replace them with positive ones. It's not that I'm a really negative person but there are a few things that I mentally harp on that need to be flushed out of my bean.

Teacher's college is one of these negative bits that I'm struggling with. I'm feeling a whole lot of pressure to get into a particular school because a) I want it so bad I can taste it b) the alternative kind of stinks and c) everyone thinks that I should be accepted. With my experience and sheer brilliance I'm kidding I am the "perfect candidate" for the program. Many of the fabulous people I presently work with (teachers, admin, consultants) and those from my past places of employment have told me this and I don't think they are saying it just to be nice. Of course I've heard it from my wonderful husband, both sets of parents, extended family and friends... but I'm not so convinced.

It's not that I don't think I deserve to be accepted, because I truly do, I've worked my butt off to get this degree finished in three years while working full-time. I have loads of fabulous experience with special needs children and well... I absolute adore kids and cannot imagine myself doing anything other than teaching. It's the number of people actually accepted into the program compared to the number that apply that is causing my brain to think unhappy thoughts. My odds of acceptance are slim: 2800 people applied last year and only 70 were accepted. Okay I shouldn't ignore the fact that 1100 people did not meet academic requirements so really the ratio was more like 70:1700. Ouch.

Lately I've been telling myself and everyone else who will listen (when discussing teacher's college) that I'm not expecting to get into the program. The reason I keep stressing this is because I don't want to be crushed if I'm not accepted. For the past two years everyone I know has told me that they "know" I'll get in and that if I "think positive and know it's going to happen" I'll be golden. As much as I want to think this way I can't and I explained this to Mike last night. If I think super positive and convince myself that "Yes I am getting into this particular program" and then I don't, I will be melt into a puddle right then and there and likely stay in puddle mode for quite some time and I don't want to deal with myself in that state. I've been there before and it's not pretty. I know I will be disappointed and this I can handle but being knocked unconscious with the weight of disappointment is a completely different story. My way of avoiding this situation is to assume that I won't get in and think that it will be a fabulous surprise if I do.

While discussing all of this with mike he seemed to understand where I was coming from and felt my frustration but he didn't fully agree with my way of thinking Negative thoughts rarely gets us very far so 'expecting the worst' is not likely going to help with achieving goals" think positive and positive will come. This is true (in my mind) but I know that out of 2000 people applying there are bound to be a good portion who are thinking just as positively as I am.

It was then that my wonderful man said my new favorite words: "Expect the best and prepare for the worst." Brilliant! What a great way of looking at things, this way I can think to myself "You're getting in" while also mentally preparing myself for the worst: not being accepted. It seems like such a simple solution... it's the way I can 'think positive' while not shoving my head so deep in the clouds that the fall will mean an extraordinarily long recovery. Thinking positive while still being realistic. Why didn't I think of this sooner? In my mind 'thinking positive' meant not allowing any negative thoughts into my head. Now I realize that the reality is that life isn't always fair and things don't always go the way you want them to so of course thinking positive doesn't mean never thinking of the negative things, it simply means expecting positive but being prepared for negativity to rear it's ugly head.

Thank you to my husband for clearing the cobwebs from my brain and a special thanks to the famous basketball player he was quoting (he remembered these words from a post-game interview a few years back). I am going to spend the next couple of weeks focusing on the completion of my application and once that is complete I'll start to look further into my second choice scenario 'just in case'. I don't expect that my negative thoughts will no longer pop into my brain because I know they will but when they do I'm going to tell them: "I have a damn good chance of getting in so please sirs would you piss off?"

November 11, 2007

My declutter rampage continues! My used-to-be-obscenely-cluttered office is now part office and part work-out room! It took almost the entire day yesterday to get things organized but it was definitely worth the time and effort. My muscle aka Mike helped me drag out the big bits that were taking up space to make room for the exercise bike that has been hibernating in the garage for the last 3 months. Now I have no excuse to not exercise, I can actually listen to lectures or complete my readings while pedaling furiously on Hilda (the bike).

And that's just what I did today. Read a chapter for Moral Issues while riding my good friend Hilda. My butt muscles are going to be screaming tomorrow. Yes it's true ladies and gentlemen, pigs flew today! That's twice in one week if we count the week from Sunday to Sunday. Two cheers for me! Three cheers will be granted once this becomes a true habit.

Here's the breakdown aka boring bits for my records only- not for entertainment purposes by any means:

November 10, 2007

I've been anxiously awaiting my package from Bugaloo so I was thrilled when I opened the mailbox yesterday and found a padded envelope for moi! I shredded the package and found the fabulous slippers you see above. I absolutely adore them and I know the mommy&baby duo they're destined for will love them too! The quality of the leather and stitching is excellent! I'm not sure how this fab designer is making any money off of these - there's no way the work she put into these is worth a measly $10US!! I'm certainly not complaining.

Any negatives?Nothing major but I am curious to see how long the elastic around the ankles holds out.

*sigh* I heart Etsy. I have friends who are addicted to eBay - you know who you are - but I think Etsy is my addiction. People are so talented! Maybe I'll start a weekly post that features my favorite Etsy designers. What a great excuse to shop!

November 8, 2007

November 6, 2007

I am starting to stiffen already. Tomorrow I'll likely feel like pulling all of the muscles out of my body and taking a meat cleaver to them. Yes it's true... pigs flew today.

My first pilates class was pretty good. My mom is my partner in crime for pilates and she liked the class too. The pace was slower than I expected but it's a fundamentals class so we're learning the basics slowly to ensure we do things right and don't end up injured. The last time I tried pilates I used a DVD and because I'm cheap frugal I decided to skip the basic DVD and go for the intermediate. I wouldn't recommend this route for those of you considering it. I tried to pull off the moves by carefully watching the instructors in the video while twisting myself into the modeled moves (hello gumby). I ended up creating a pile of knots in my neck and back and pulled a muscle as well. My massage therapist gave me hell for skipping the basic level and suggested I set aside my DVD and take a class to learn proper form. 4 years later I take her advice... better late than never.

This is my week of new beginnings and some 'try agains'. Pilates and a new bedtime are part of the former. I've been heading to bed at 11pm on weeknights since I was in my last year of high school - after my weekend of 9pm bedtimes due to exhaustion I realized that my less than 8 hours a night sleeping pattern might be part of my problem. I've always thought I was one of those people who function well on 6 or 7 hours of sleep but maybe I'm wrong! Imagine that. Maybe I would feel a whole lot, or even just a little bit, better if I actually managed to squeeze in an extra hour of sleep every night - 8 blissful hours of slumber.

So far so good. I woke up yesterday morning feeling like a million bucks (granted the time change was on my side) and today was a better start than most too impressive considering I'm still teetering on the edge of this cold thingo.

I'm attempting to keep track of what I'm eating and this falls into the 'try again' category. I've done really well with healthy eating in the past when I kept careful track of what I was stuffing into my gourd. When I don't write it down I eat whatever is in my path. I love food. It's a damn good thing I married a man who eats simply for survival because if Mike was a food lover like me I honestly believe I would have a serious weight problem. My main goal when it comes to food is to try to get back into the healthy eating habit. More fruits, veggies, grains etc and less sugar. I like sugar... a lot.

So there you have it. I'm off to a decent start, let's see if I can keep it up.

November 4, 2007

My bean is not working quite right today. I'm dizzy no I'm not pregnant thank you very much and I'm feeling completely wiped out. I've been exhausted all weekend; I actually cancelled plans with friends last night and went to bed at 9pm! How old am I?!

I have a doctors appointment on Thursday and I expect to hear the same thing I have heard every time I've gone in with a woe during the last three years: "You need to rest and find time for yourself; you're too busy". It's likely she'll add in: "find time to exercise" as well. She'll also offer to write me a note for stress leave if I so desire but I'll refuse because really, things aren't that bad and I'll save drastic measures like that for a time when I really feel like I need it. Thankfully I'll have completed my first pilates class by the time I see the Doc so I can tell her honestly that I'm making an effort to get my non-active ass in gear.

I am super pleased with myself this afternoon. Considering the state of my sleepy bod I've managed to get stuff done. I finally filled out the teachers college application form. Thank god. That sucker needed to be done asap, the deadline is November 30th but it can take a few weeks for transcripts to get from one school to the next. I've paid the silly fees ($200 to apply to ONE university - this included the cost of 2 $8.00 transcripts - how ridiculous is that?) and hopefully managed to fill everything out correctly.

Now I move on to the horrific Experience Profile. This is where I have to write an extraordinary essay on the topic of "Those who can, teach" - ugh. I'm going to start my outline this afternoon, wish me luck.

I'm more nervous about this whole process than I expected to be. I'll be thrilled when the application process is over with, then I'll just have to wait and see if I get an interview.

Speaking of school stuff, I filled out my intent to graduate form today too. That sure makes that light at the end of the tunnel seem brighter. I can't believe that I'm nearly done my degree, the thought of having my diploma handed to me makes me giddy. Three years of a hellofa lotta hard work will finally pay off. Yay for me!

The other mission accomplished today is that I finally managed to start to declutter - better late than never. Now that we have our fabulously wonderful cleaning lady coming in regularly I don't have to spend time mopping floors so decluttering is on the agenda. I love my grandma dearly but I have no intention of turning into the clutter queen she is.

I did manage to get out yesterday with some of my most favorite women on the planet for our annual Ladies' Day. A breakfast filled with chatter and lots of laughs was followed up with shopping at a few craft sales. It was a great day as usual! Thanks girls!

November 2, 2007

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult was a gripping novel. I had a hard time putting it down--it caused my eyeballs to ache from small print overload and too many tears. The ending completely stunned me. I was so surprised I actually flipped back a page to reread the 'shocking scene' just to be sure I was understanding things properly. I was and wow. Fabulous ending to a fabulous book.

Oddly enough I was in the middle of this fabulous find when I heard the term "Cord Blood Bank" on the radio. This was the first I had heard of storing your baby's umbilical cord blood. The cord contains loads of stem cells and proper storage means the ability to access life saving cells for your child if they ever need them. With the amount of focus on stem cell research today, the chances of major advances and improvements in the use of stem cells is certain. If you could store a double of each of your child's organs 'just in case' wouldn't you? This is the closest you can come to doing so at this point in time.

I was in a bit of a funk yesterday. again. This week was a rough one; I think it must have something to do with the time of year. Winter is just around the corner, days are getting shorter, winter is just around the corner... did I mention winter is just around the corner? I like the look of snow outside the window and I even like the smell of winter but there are three things I really hate: driving on snowy/icy roads, shoveling and being cold. Not ideal considering I live in Canada.

I detest being cold and I hate wearing socks so winter is definitely not my favorite season. Sunshine and bare feet are two things that make me very happy; unfortunately the winter means I don't get to experience much of either of these two things.

Of course there is one really fabulous thing about winter: CHRISTMAS! I absolutely love Christmas. What is it that I love? Well let me tell you.

Too early to talk about Christmas? No way. I went shopping after work yesterday to try and boost my mood and it worked! I knew that because Halloween was on Wednesday the stores would be filling with red and green on the 1st and sure enough I was right. Usually it irks me that the stores force Halloween out the door and drag Christmas in so quickly but this year I've decided to embrace it. Why not stretch the season out as long as I can since I love it so much. It's way too early to decorate but it's not too early to start shopping.

I bought a few gifts for the kids yesterday. Check out these super cool invisible ink pens (there's a black light in the end of the pen that makes the ink visible) and this sweet 3D Drawing Pad. I love the store Write Impressions (uptown Waterloo). They get the coolest stuff ever!

I also snagged a princess dress up set for the little lady in our life. One can never have too many pairs of shoes. And seriously, what girl doesn't want a variety of tiaras and feather boas to choose from?

November 1, 2007

Thankfully I'm in a better place than I was when I wrote last. A little more sane, at least for the time being. The silly philosophy paper is complete and I managed to do it while running to the door every 5 minutes to throw sugar at little people dressed in odd clothing.

Check out our nephews, they looked awesome! They were bouncing off the walls when mike and I went by to snap some pics and start their treat bags off.

Mr. Incredible and the Vampire Bat. Oh so scary yet cute at the same time. I tried to keep my coos of cuteness to myself and went with "Cool" and "Wow". Michael's muscles were hilarious. He's a little stick man like his big brother Gabriel so it was extra funny to see him with bulging biceps.

Loads of super cute kids came to our door. I love our neighborhood because there are lots of tiny little peanuts. I saw a handful of princesses and a pile of cute animals with big butts (the new tiny people costumes are so flippen adorable).

My mood improved immensely after a few hours of handing out junk to trick or treaters.Yay for Hallowe'en!

Who Am I?

I'm a mom, wife and teacher with a serious love for crafting who is trying to figure out how to manage it all. Gingham Skies is a place for me to share my creations, my rants, my raves and some of my favourite fabulous treasures found scattered throughout our online world.